Fastener for label-holders.



No. 704,404. Patented July 8, I902.

J. R; THORNE. FASTENEB FOB LABEL HOLDERS.

(Application filed May 8, 1901,)

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN R. THORNE, OF RANTOUL, ILLINOIS.

FASTEN ER FOR LABEL- HOLDERS.

SPECIFIGATICN forming part of Letters Patent No. 704,404, dated July 8, 1902.

Application filed May 3, 1901. Serial No. 58,595. kNo model.)

T0 at whom it may concern:

Be it known thatI, JOHN R. THORNE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rantoul, county of Ohampaign, and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Fastener for Label-Holders, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to label-holders for cars of that class which are constructed in box-like form and provided with replaceable cards which are exposed through the front of the holder, and has particular reference to a lock for a movable closure forming a part of the holder; and the object in view is to provide a lock in connection with the holder of such structure and operation that it cannot be readily opened or closed to permit the closure to be opened except by properly authorized operatives or officials who understand the peculiarities of the same, and thereby avoid tampering with the card carried by the holder.

The invention consists in the construction and arrangement of the several parts, which will be more fully hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a label-holder having the improved lock applied thereto. Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical section through the portion of the holder and closure therefor having the lock mechanism therein. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the part of the lock mechanism carried by the closure for the holder and also showing a portion of said closure.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

The reference-numeral 1 designates a suitable metallic casing or box havinga hanging extension 2 projecting upwardly from the back portion thereof and opposite side ears 3, whereby the holder as an entirety may be secured to a car frame or door, the front of the holder having an opening therein covered by a suitable transparent plate or closure and directly behind which the card bearing the general instructions relating to the home road, car-number, initial, and other instructive matter usually applied to cards of this character. The card is inserted through one end of the holder,which is provided with a movable closure 4, hinged atits lower end, so as to fully and completely clear the said open end of the holder and avoid interference with the operation of inserting or withdrawing the card.

The essential feature of the invention resides in the production and utilization of a lock for the closure 4, which is in part carried by the upper port-i011 of the holder adjacent to the closure and also in part by the latter. Depending from the top of the holder and interiorly located is a box-like hanger or support 5, having a lower horizontal bottom 6, and extending transversely through the lower portion of the hanger or support 5, close to the bottom 6, is a rotatable spindle 7, which has one extremity exteriorly exposed and provided with a milled knob or analogous device 8, which is located at the upper front portion of the holder adjacent to the closure 4.

As clearly shown by Fig. 3, the spindle 7 is terminally reduced and has bearing in the front wall of the holder and the rear vertical member of the hanger or support 5, thereby forming two shoulders 9, which maintain the spindle in positive applied position and obstruct any tendency thereof to transverse sliding movement. It is necessary that the spindle be maintained in a positive applied position for purposes which will hereinafter appear, and from the central portion thereof extends a radial catch arm or element 10, having the free end thereof rounded or convex, as at 11. Extending transversely through the radial catch arm or element 10 is a cross-pin or projection 11, which serves to connect the cooperating parts of the lock.

The upper outer corner portion of the closure at on the interior has a box-like inclosure 12, which is substantially open at its inner side, and the top 13 thereof is formedwith an angular depending extension 14 at its-inner extremity, and in the center of said extremity is a slot 15. The bottom 16 of the inclosure 12 is continued upwardly and inwardly at an angle of inclination to form a striker 17, which is centrally slotted or bifurcated, as at 18, the slot opening out through the upper end of the striker and in direct alinement with the radial catch arm or element 10. In the inclosurc 12 is a vertically-disposed movable catch plate or member 19, having guide rods or elements 20 secured thereto and movably projecting upwardly in a horizontal plane through the 5 outer side of the inclosure 12 and the adjacent portion of the closure 4 and have their outer terminals firmly attached to a guardplate 21, supplied with a central knob or pull 22. The guide rods or elements'20 are vertically alined and spaced apart from each other a suitable distance, and between the outer wall of the inclosure 12 and the movable catch plate or member 19 springs 23 are interposed and located, respectively, above These springs 23 equally project the upper and lower portions of the catch plate or member 19 inwardly and maintain said plate normally projected inward from the outer side or wall of the inclosure 12, and thereby the guide rods or elements 20 are caused to hold the guard-plate 21 closely against the outer side of the closure 4. The catch plate or member 19 is forced against the depending extension 14 of the top of the inclosure 12 and the angular portion of the bottom 16 at the point of intersection with the striker 17, and in the center of said plate,- in alinement with the bifurcation of the said striker, a slot or opening 24 is formed, through which the free end of the radial catch-arm projects when the two parts of the lock are in connected relation.

In the operation of the lock the closure 4: is closed or pressed inwardly into the end of the box or casing 1, and the catch arm or member is turned down into the upper bifurcated or slotted end of the striker 17 and has its rounded free end 11 brought to forcefully bear against the catch-plate 19, which is cleared in view of its spring-mounting until the said rounded end of the catch arm or member enters the slot 24, and for such arrangement the cross-pinljl will bear against the outer portion of the upper extremity of the keeper 17, and thereby lock the-closure 4 against outward movement until the said catch arm or member 10is released. To release pull 22. It will be seen that before the closure 4 can be opened it will be necessary to simultaneously operate both the catch-plate and catch arm or member, and any one not havinga full understanding of the operation of the lock will meet with considerable diffiand below the said guiderods or elements 20.'

man;

culty and obstruction in opening the same. This form of lock prevents the card within the holder from being tampered with by unauthorized persons or those unacquainted with the peculiar features of construction embodied in the lock and the mode of operating the latter to release the closure 4.

Having thus described the invention,'what is claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination with a holder of the class set forth, a movable closure for one end of the holder, arotatable spindle supported by the holder and having a catch-arm with a cross pin therein, an inwardly extending slotted striker secured to the closure, and a spring-actuated slotted catch-plate also carried by the closure and normally positioned outwardly from the striker.

2. In a device of the class set forth comprising-a casing and a movable closure for one end thereof, a catch device movably supported by the casing and located on the in terior of the latter, said catch device being operative from the exterior of the casing, a vertically-disposed catch -plate and an up wardly and inwardly extending striker carried by the closure, the catch-plate being freely movable and having a slot therein, and means for exteriorly operating the catchplate.

3. In a device of the class set forth, the combination of a casing having a movable closure at one end, a catch device movably supported by. and located interiorly of the casing, and a striker and catch-plate held by the closure, the catch-plate being vertically disposed and freely movable to and from the striker and having a slot therein, the catch device and catch-plate having exteriorly-located operating means.

4. In a device of the class set forth, the combination of a casing having a movable closure at one end, a catch device movably supported by an interior portion of the cas ing and having exteriorly-located operative means, an inwardly and upwardly extending striker carried by the closure to receive the catch device, and a slidable plate with an opening therein also carried by the closure and operating'to prevent release of the catch device from the striker until cleared from the end of said catch device.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN R. TI-IORNE.

Witnesses:

HERBERT WEST, E. DONOGHUE. 

